


Insufferable

by DunmerLover



Series: What Happens in the Fighters' Guild [1]
Category: Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Genre: A different version of events at Kvatch, Age Difference, Banter, Canon-Typical Violence, Drunken Advances, Drunken Confessions, Dunmer/Imperial, Dunmer/human, Eventual Smut, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fighter's Guild, Fighter's Guild (Elder Scrolls), Friendly banter, Friends to Lovers, Mages Guild, Male Masturbation, Modryn gets angry, Modryn is guildmaster, OC is not the Hero of Kvatch, OC is second in command, Older Man/Younger Woman, One massive age difference, Oral Sex, Original Imperial character - Freeform, Porn With Plot, Post-Canon, Post-Main Quest, Rough Sex, Unrequited Crush, Well she is but she isn't
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-21
Updated: 2018-02-10
Packaged: 2019-03-07 19:38:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13441893
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DunmerLover/pseuds/DunmerLover
Summary: The second-in-command of the Fighters' Guild has a hard enough job. The fact that she's had a crush on her Guildmaster since they met only makes it harder. Not impossible, just a little harder. After a serious mistake nearly costs a new recruit his life, a night spent drowning her sorrows ensues, and everything comes out in the open.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah, I like Modryn. What of it? Fight me.
> 
>  ~~I still don't know whether I'm sorry for writing this or not, but it had to be done. He doesn't get enough love in my opinion. I think he's actually the reason I have such a huge interest in the dark elves in the first place. So here is this thing I wrote.~~ Changed my mind. Not one bit sorry for writing this. Turns out Modryn is more popular with the ladies than I first realised so I think I've done a ~~public service~~ good thing by writing this.
> 
> It's not gonna be a long story. Also there's plot. First chapter is clean/context. Second chapter has smut. Third chapter has serious smut. Fourth is an epilogue. Also I've tried to research as much as possible for this and TES lore interests me quite a lot (tiny understatement) so if I end up missing anything out I'm very sorry.
> 
> So I couldn't find an age for Modryn so I'm making massive assumptions and for the sake of this story I'm assuming he's about 150 years old.
> 
> Enjoy ~

At the creak of boots on the staircase, coming closer and louder by the second, Modryn Oreyn looked up from his paperwork. His distracted scowl softened instantly when his second-in-command entered the office. The young Imperial returned her Guildmaster’s smile, but Oreyn could tell she was exhausted. He could tell from the way her head lolled ever so slightly to the side while she met his gaze, and the way she staggered a little climbing the last of the stairs.

Modryn grinned wryly. “You’re back early.”

Evie Cenitus chuckled, straightening up haughtily. Her expression was positively dreamy, her eyes heavy-lidded. “It’s called _dedication_ , Modryn,” she said mockingly. “You said I could never make the journey in a single night… and now I have the satisfaction of proving you wrong.”

The Dunmer raised an eyebrow. “So, tell me…” he inquired. He set down his quill and leaned back in the chair. “Is it worth the satisfaction? You can barely keep your eyes open.”

As if on cue, the girl blinked several times. She chuckled again and her gaze dropped to the floor. “You’re such a smart-ass,” she chided.

“How were things in Cheydinhal?”

Evie looked up, the cold blue of her eyes meeting her Guildmaster’s crimson. Her tired mind struggled for a moment to even recall what she’d been sent to the neighbouring hall to do. “Oh, I remember now… they wanted weapons, didn’t they? Yes, they were grateful. No problems to report. Velindir’s recovering well so there won’t be any need to transfer anyone. So now that I’m back, what have you got for me?”

“You need sleep, Evie. I have a handle on things for the time being.”

“I can do it all, Modryn, you know I can! Just give me _one_ job? Then I’ll go home.”

Oreyn sighed in exasperation, returning his attention to the paperwork. He continued to write. “You’ve proven yourself to me more times than I could possibly recall, there’s no denying that…” the elf said without looking up. The fondness was clear in his voice. Evie continued to sway on the spot, tucking behind her ear the raven hair that she had allowed to fall over her face. “But sometimes I know you better than you know yourself. You’re no good to me in this condition. I’ll have plenty for you to do when you come back, now _get some rest_.”

Evie sighed in mock defeat, and her lip curled into an even wider smile. “Fine… whatever you say, _Master_ ,” she said, voice dripping with derision. “Try not to miss me too much!”

Modryn offered only the same wry smile as Evie turned and descended the stairs. Comfortably out of sight, the girl exhaled sharply, steadying herself on the staircase and reaching level ground. He was so cute when he smiled at her like that. And as the months went by, it seemed ever harder for Evie to ignore that. With any luck she could pass off the way she gazed longingly at her boss as exhaustion.

She exited the building, relishing the chill of the morning air as it filled her lungs, and made her way to her own home. A stupid little crush, she reminded herself for the hundredth time. It wasn’t as though it was something that ate her up whenever she was around the mer. Not _every_ time she was around him, anyway. And that’s why she’d never tell anyone (aside from poor Viranus Donton, may he rest in peace). Not now, not ever. It wasn’t worth jeopardising what they had. Things were good the way they were. Perfect, even - the Fighters’ Guild had never been in better shape. Not just in Chorrol, but all over Cyrodiil. And that success could be attributed, in part, to how well the two of them worked together. To the unlikely friendship that had formed between them some time ago.

Evie unlocked the door and racked her weapon. He’d thought her a complete idiot when they first met. Working for Modryn, knowing full well he’d been _forced_ by the previous Guildmaster to take her under his wing, and hearing the sheer disdain in his voice as he informed her of the arrangement… those were some of the more nerve-wracking times of Evie’s life. And that was certainly saying something, considering she’d fought in the Arena several times before coming to the Guild. _And look at us now_ , she thought to herself, unable to stop a wide smile spreading across her face at the thought. When she was in the bedroom, she stripped from her armour quickly and crawled into bed. Briefly, the girl registered sunlight pouring in from the window onto her heavy eyelids, but it was only a matter of short minutes before fatigue claimed her.

*

*

When Evie next woke, it was early afternoon. And as it turned out, a few hours of rest was indeed just what she needed. Of course, she headed straight back to the Guild hall. There was always something that needed taking care of, she told herself every time. She denied herself any thoughts that she’d rather spend her time with Oreyn than spend it anywhere else.

“While you were in Cheydinhal we received another contract from Nerussa,” Modryn said. The pair approached the dining table and sat down. They split a small loaf of bread between them. “Looks like the minotaurs are back and scaring away customers. We’ll need to send her someone who can hold their own.”

Evie took the first bite of her bread, lost in thought. She stared at a point somewhere past Modryn’s shoulder, and eventually swallowed. “D’you think one of the gro-Kurg brothers could handle it? I know they’re both very new to the Guild but… Guurz is pretty experienced already, isn’t he?”

Modryn nodded, looking at his second-in-command proudly before starting on his own lunch. “He’d be a good fit. He’s around somewhere - if you see him first, ask him.”

The elf’s red eyes narrowed. “You’re wanted next door, too.”

“The mages want me?” Evie repeated. “Why?”

“One of their Guild members found something while working out in the field. A staff, I believe. Quite old from what Teekeeus said, and nobody can tell just from examining it what powers it might contain. They want you around when they test it - just in case.”

The human nodded in understanding, but continued to eat in silence. She watched Modryn eat for a while, when he eventually looked up she quickly avoided his eye. She couldn’t have what she really wanted from him, she knew that, but that thought wasn’t enough to stop her admiring her Guildmaster. Sometimes Evie thought she knew Modryn better than anyone else did, and she knew he wasn’t spoken for. But still, she felt so guilty. He never spoke of anyone, and she never saw any women enter or leave his cabin, at least not in a suspicious manner. For a brief period way back when, the girl wondered whether he preferred the company of men instead, but she never saw any _men_ enter or leave, so decided that might not be the case either. Eventually, she concluded he might simply prefer no company at all.

Evie eventually stood. “See you later, big guy,” she said, and clapped a hand on Modryn’s shoulder, the palm of her gauntlet meeting the hard iron armour with a clang, and she made for the exit. As she closed the door behind her, Evie saw just the man she was looking for walking through the plaza.

“Hey, speak of the devil!” she said brightly to the orc, who stopped in his tracks. Somewhat relieved to not have to look too far to find the new recruit, the girl craned her neck up to look the massive mer in the eye as he approached.

“Ma’am,” gro-Kurg said politely. He straightened up further as he addressed his boss. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“There’s work for you if you want it,” Evie began. “Do you know how to get to Wawnet Inn?”

Gro-Kurg nodded, sharp eyes narrowing as he listened.

“Nerussa needs someone to help her out. Repeat client, she’ll explain it all.”

The orc shrugged. “Whatever you say, boss. I’ll head out now.”

Evie’s face shone with genuine gratitude. “You really are a godsend,” she said. “I can’t tell you how glad we are to have you and your brother on board, we’ve only gone from strength to strength.”

As the orc turned to leave - eager, Evie noted internally - the Imperial waved him goodbye and made for the neighbouring Guild hall. She meant it, new recruits like the gro-Kurg brothers made the Guild what it was today. She’d have to give Guurz a more special reward when she saw him next, something more meaningful than just gold. The enchanted blade Modryn had given her over three years ago came to mind, now that she was a Champion of the Guild herself it would be like passing on a legacy, yet… most of the weapons Guurz already owned must be far more powerful than that sword. She’d have to think of something else.

The moment she entered the warmth of the Mages’ Guild foyer, Evie saw the Argonian steadily pacing back and forth. At the creak of the door opening, Teekeeus looked up.

“Teekeeus, sir, you needed assistance?” Evie asked. She bowed her head politely.

“Ah, Evie!” the Argonian greeted, gravelly voice drawing out the name. “I’m glad you’re here! I assume Master Oreyn told you what we’re doing here… yes?”

Evie nodded. “Yes, he said there was a staff.”

“Yes… a staff…” the mage turned his back on the girl, robes billowing behind him as he made briskly for a display case on the far wall. The lock opened instantly at his touch, and from the case he took a short staff. Evie approached, inspecting it from Teekeeus’ side. _Quite old_ … the sorry thing looked like it pre-dated written history. Looking at it, she couldn’t tell whether the slightly-curved weapon was made of entirely rusted metal or thoroughly rotten wood. She reached out for it, but another hand closed over hers too quickly.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” came Angalmo’s voice behind her. Evie withdrew her hand quickly, lowering her head as she addressed the taller Altmer. “Even us mages need to take care.”

“Sorry.”

“No harm done,” Teekeeus said. When he turned around, Evie backed away quickly. He held the staff up carefully in gloved hands. “Yes… we sent an associate out for routine work, and he came back with this staff. As you can see… it hasn’t stood the test of time. No visible markings, at least none that have survived, so it’s got all of us scratching our heads. We wanted to prepare for the worst when we use it.”

Again, the Imperial nodded. “I’m ready when you are.” She tied her long hair in a ponytail high on her head, and had to stifle a grin when she thought about the possibility that this ancient piece of… whatever it was, could be a mere cane, and nobody had any idea.

“Then let us take this to a safer room,” Angalmo said.

With that, Evie allowed the two mages to lead her, up the stairs. She’d never been here before, she’d never had a reason to. Her time spent with the mages these past three years had mostly consisted of trade with Angalmo. They led her through a cold, spacious library, across a quiet room and creaking floorboards - the Bosmer sat in the corner lifted his head from his book briefly, but otherwise paid the three no real attention as they climbed a second flight of stairs. The hallways of the living quarters there were vast, and empty, and when the two men turned back to face her, Evie wasn’t surprised they’d chosen this spot.

She drew her sword, and allowed Angalmo to direct her exactly where they needed her. Secretly Evie still expected no reaction from the staff, but readied herself nonetheless. Sure enough, when Teekeeus pointed the staff towards the centre of the hallway, nothing happened. Short seconds felt drawn out, longer, as they waited for a response, but just as the Argonian lowered the weapon, disappointment clear on his face, Evie felt something in the room change. As though suddenly too hot and too cold all at once, she shivered, sweat pricking at her temples. As quickly as it changed, the hallway filled with a blinding light, humanoid figure emerging from within.

Evie didn’t think, not for a moment. She acted out of instinct, driven by years of practice, swinging her shield fiercely as the light disappeared, bashing against the Dremora’s skull before he even knew where he was, straight away sinking her glass blade through the creature’s back. He roared in agony. _Lucky he’s wearing a robe_ , the girl thought as she pushed the sword in further, as far and as hard as she could. It took all her strength but it was worth it - the Dremora fell limp against her smaller form and with some effort, she pulled out her blade, and pushed the corpse to the ground.

The whole affair was over in a matter of seconds. The Imperial looked up, breathing hard and heavy, to the two mages. They gawked, clearly it had all happened far too fast for them to process.

Angalmo’s eyes shifted quickly from Evie to the corpse, and back again. “…Well then,” he finally said, flustered. “That… that was exactly what we feared.”

“Indeed…” Teekeeus said slowly. His eyes were wide. “We cannot keep this staff here. We must send it to the University for any further testing.”

Evie sheathed her blade, and cocked her head ever so slightly. “I could take it for you - I always have errands to run in the Imperial City.”

“Impossible!” The Argonian snapped. He withdrew the staff, away from Evie’s immediate reach. “It’s not safe for you to handle! I will take it myself. Now take this…”

From his robe Teekeeus produced a bag - heavy with gold, Evie realised when she took hold of it. “I always knew you were skilled with a blade, but I’d never seen it with my own eyes. Now I see why Oreyn talks of you so fondly… thank you Evie. We’re grateful for your help.”

*

*

“Okay I’m done counting, Modryn,” Evie said. She knelt down and opened the chest behind the Guildmaster’s desk. “Make a note. Three-hundred Septims going in.”

“And a hundred for you,” Modryn finished for her as he wrote.

The girl nodded, and as she dropped the bag of gold in, her attention was taken by a thick gold ring lodged in the corner of the chest.

She frowned. “What’s this ring?” She took it, and straightened up so her boss could see. “Enchanted?”

“Let me see it.”

Evie passed the ring to the Dunmer. He inspected it closely for a few seconds before passing it back.

“Minor fatigue, I believe… do you want it?”

“No, thank you… it’s not for me.”

Modryn grinned wickedly. “Taken a lover?”

The girl’s pale face flushed brilliantly. Her eyes snapped away from his in an instant. She forced a chuckle. “No… I have no lover to speak of… I was just thinking we should give Guurz gro-Kurg something when he gets back from Wawnet Inn. Something special. Something powerful though.”

The elf turned in his seat. “You sent Guurz off already?” When Evie finally looked up, she could see the confusion in every line of his face.

“Yes, I caught him on my way next door, he went straight away. Saw him leave and everything.”

“Then _why is he downstairs?_ ” Modryn asked slowly.

“Guurz is downstairs?” The girl’s dark eyebrows knitted together. “Then… who did I send-”

Then it clicked. She clapped a hand over her mouth, stifling the strangled noise that caught in her throat. The very room seemed to sway before her eyes. It took all her courage to look her Guildmaster in the eye, and when she did the very hellfires of Oblivion burned there. His face was ashen.

“Oh Nine… Modryn… _please_ don’t be angry-”

“What in Azura’s name have you DONE?” he shouted. He stood, advancing on Evie who only cowered, still in shock. Her large, round eyes brimmed with tears. “You sent the wrong brother! You sent GORZ GRO-KURG!”

“I’m so sorry-”

“YOU SENT OUR YOUNGEST RECRUIT TO FIGHT MINOTAURS, YOU STUPID GIRL!” he bellowed. In that moment, he was more terrifying than any monster Evie had ever fought. “HOW COULD YOU CONFUSE THEM? _HE WON’T SURVIVE A MINUTE, EVIE! YOU’RE USELESS! **INSUFFERABLE!**_ ”

“...I-”

“WHAT ARE YOU STILL DOING HERE?” the elf roared. “GET UP NOW! GET OUT OF HERE! DON’T COME BACK UNTIL YOU’VE MADE IT RIGHT! YOU BETTER HOPE HE’S STILL ALIVE! FOR YOUR SAKE! IF HE GETS KILLED OUT THERE IT’S **YOUR FAULT! GO! NOW!** ”

A blur of black hair and golden armour, Evie fled as if for her own life. On the ground floor, the older gro-Kurg brother looked up just as she tore past. He opened his mouth to call out to her, but she was already gone.

She ran. Across the plaza, through the gate, she’d never run so fast in her whole life. A choked sob escaped her throat, tears streamed down her face. If she was fast, maybe, _just maybe_ , she’d get there in time, she wouldn’t be the one to send him to his death. The Imperial repeated it over and over in her head as she ran to the stable. Anything to drown out the way Modryn had shouted. _At her_. Useless. Insufferable. He’d said that. He hated her, he must if that’s how he felt… he certainly would if Gorz gro-Kurg was dead. She’d ruined everything they had. Everything.

She didn’t have time to ask, she jumped on the nearest tacked-up horse and kicked her sides with force. She took off at speed, jumping over the fence, and Evie held on for dear life as she galloped. She had to make it on time, she _had to make it_. Otherwise there was no going back home. She couldn't let him down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For anyone wondering what _exactly_ Evie Cenitus looks like, in my head she's a dead ringer for Lucina from Fire Emblem/Smash Ultimate.


	2. Chapter 2

The dark tavern swayed dangerously, so Evie set her head down on the damp table, clutching her cheap wine as though it was the last bottle on Nirn. A slow, quiet belch passed her lips, and she decided she felt a little less nauseated afterwards. Through half-open eyes, the drunken Imperial stared blankly at the two bottles in her two right hands. Now to decide whether it was worth lifting her sorry head to take another swig. Eventually, she decided it was not, and stayed put.

She’d made it to Wawnet Inn just in time. Gorz Gro-Kurg, bless his heart - at just seventeen years of age had spoken to his client, and agreed to take on the minotaur problem because he _trusted Evie’s judgement_. Trusted her enough to believe that if she’d sent him to kill minotaurs, then _he could kill minotaurs_. At the thought, Evie groaned in shame, for what must’ve been the thousandth time since she’d started on the wine. Finally, she lifted her heavy head with an enormous effort. She _needed_ more wine to drown out the shame. The girl tilted her head back, and chugged the last of it. She stuck out her tongue and grimaced at the foul taste.

She set the empty bottle on the table, and when it dropped straight to the floor and rolled towards the fire, she was surprised to find she’d missed the table by at least a foot.

“Sorry Emfrid…” Evie said slowly, even though the innkeeper wasn’t in the room. She slumped in her seat, head in hand.

She’d cut off the minotaur’s head just before it could kill the orc. Then she’d dropped to her knees and apologised over and over, sobbing. She explained the grave mistake she’d made, withholding none of her failings. And Gorz, _bless his heart_ , had thrown back his head and laughed. He actually found the whole affair funny! He’d almost died at her hands - how could he be so forgiving? If she wasn’t so inebriated, Evie would’ve cried again.

She’d finished the job, making sure to teach the new recruit all the best ways to slay a minotaur - when the time came, of course - and given the young orc both the payment and Modryn’s enchanted blade for his trouble. Then Evie escorted him straight back to Chorrol, still apologising profusely the whole time. After making sure he arrived home safely (it was the very least she could do), she’d slunk away, straight to the Gray Mare, where she’d been drowning her sorrows ever since. The girl had barely been there two hours, but she’d drunk fast and now it hit her very suddenly. She hadn’t seen Modryn since she came back. Despite having saved Gorz in the end, she just couldn’t face her Guildmaster.

All of a sudden, the innkeeper was at her table, broom in hand, sweeping as though Evie wasn’t there. They were the only two people in the tavern.

_When did she come back?_

For the most part, Emfrid had let the girl be - serving her a steady stream of wine and making sure nobody bothered her. She must’ve known right away something was wrong, perhaps it came with the trade, Evie thought to herself. She must be able to read most people like a book by now.

“May I have another please?” Evie asked quietly, sounding entirely as pathetic as she felt.

“You’ve had enough for one night,” the Nord said sternly, not looking up as she continued to sweep.

“I’ll have you _know_ …” Evie began. Her words were slurred almost beyond recognition. She tried to straighten up. “I could ki -hic- kill you _right now_. I’ve been to… _Oblivion_ … and back… killed things… and you won’t give me wine…”

Her speech trailed off. Emfrid seemed entirely unfazed. “You’re no good to anyone if you drink yourself to death,” she said. “Bad day?”

Instead of attempting more words, the Imperial merely nodded.

The blond leaned against the wall, her features softening. “Wanna talk about it?”

“Mistake…” was all Evie could get out. “A… _big_ … -hic- mistake.”

“Oh…” the Nord’s head tilted back a little, knowingly. “Did anyone get hurt?” she asked tentatively.

“No… everyone’s fine.”

“Then why are you here? Why are you… you never drink, Evie. What’s wrong?”

“Modryn…” the girl sighed a hopeless sigh, and threw her head back down on the table. She mashed the palm of her hand into her temple. “He’s _so mad at me_ … I dunno what to… do…”

“He’s not treating you badly, is he?” Emfrid asked, frowning deeply. “We both know Modryn can be a real bastard when he wants to be.”

Despite the passive state the alcohol had her in, Evie felt the urge rising inside her to defend her friend. “He’s not like that when… when you… not like that with me. He’s _lovely_. He does care ‘bout me… remember how he -hic- he stood up to the guards for me? After I came back from Oblivion?”

Emfrid's grim expression said it all. Evie stared vacantly into the fire, still slumped over on the table. For a while she tried to focus on the glowing tendrils that licked the wood sporadically. Emfrid resumed sweeping, passing Evie only a pitying gaze every now and then.

She knew Modryn still felt more guilt over what happened at Kvatch than he let on. They needed help, the city had been levelled. He’d sent his second-in-command - his best. Neither of them expected the guards to grab her and shove her through the portal to that damned world without an explanation. Find a way to close it, they’d said, or die trying. And if she made a run for it, they’d kill her themselves.

When she emerged some twelve hours later, she went straight back to Modryn. He’d held her as she sobbed on his chest, and pried the events out of her, slowly. When she finally did, Evie had never seen him so livid. Needless to say, he’d gone straight to what remained of Kvatch, and given the guards a piece of his mind. His ferocity earlier this day was nothing in comparison. Such was his wrath, the guards who fell to the Daedra may have been the lucky ones, they say, for not having to experience it. He acted out of spite, denying any further aid from the Guild during the Oblivion crisis. He told them they could find another hero.

Her eyes began to well up again, and she blinked away the tears, still watching the fire. She didn’t think she’d ever come back from that place, it was where her twenty-three year-old self fully expected to die. When things looked their most hopeless and the corridors of that tower seemed never-ending, and when the potions ran out… thoughts of getting back to him were all that kept her going. She’d held that enchanted blade tight, the only motivation to cut down a seemingly endless horde of monsters was being able to come back to the man who gave it to her.

_And look at us now…_

“I’ve ruined _everything_ …" she said mournfully.

Emfrid looked back, broom still in hand. “Huh?”

“We had such a good thing…”

“Talking about Modryn? Really, don’t worry. I’ll bet he was just overreacting. Like you said, what you have is too strong to fall apart over a near miss. Everyone says it, you and him are the best team they’ve ever seen. He really likes you, and the same can’t be said for most folks.”

A painful lump formed in Evie’s throat. She swallowed hard. “Really?”

“Yeah. Go talk to him, I’ll bet you anything he’ll be forgiving.”

With a considerable effort, Evie hurled herself to her feet. “Thanks Emfrid… I’m gonna do it.”

And with that, she stumbled towards the door, ungainly as she pulled it open.

“Evie, I didn’t mean _now_ , it’s two in the morning, you need to sober up-” Emfrid began. The door slammed before she could finish. Clearly Evie hadn’t heard her. Out the window, the innkeeper watched her go, and offered a small prayer that the Guildmaster would take all this in good humour. It was an unlikely thought.

*

*

The cabin door slammed against the wall, and Modryn’s eyes snapped open. He growled. One hand reached reflexively for his mace, fingers closing around the weapon but quickly relenting when he saw the small, familiar form stood in the doorway as if frozen there, silhouetted by the moonlight. He sat up in bed.

“It’s done,” came the Imperial’s voice, slurred. “He’s back… He’s fine…”

Despite the adrenaline, it was all too much too fast for the man who had woken so suddenly. “… _What?_ ”

“Gorz…” Evie continued. “He’s fine. I’m sorry Modryn. I let you down.”

Modryn got out of bed, approaching Evie, who clung to the doorway for dear life. “You’re completely hammered,” he said, sounding more surprised than anything. “What happened to you? Come here… come here Evie…”

The elf pulled the girl towards him, and she registered her cheek colliding with warm skin and a solid body, falling into his arms. He helped her cross the room and sat her down on the bed, then lit a lamp. Evie fought against the spinning of her head to focus on the spectacle before her - Oreyn was bare from the waist up. Of course, she’d seen him like this before, but now was far too intoxicated to look away nervously. She ogled him openly, mouth hanging open. His body was powerful. Solid muscle to spite his age, honed from so many decades of hard graft. Scars marked his grey skin here and there, like a story of his life as a Knight. Evie practically drooled over the sight.

He sat down next to her on the bed, and offered an arm around her shoulder. Inhibitions completely gone, Evie threw herself onto her Guildmaster’s body, nuzzling tiredly into his smooth chest, inhaling his scent. She’d never been so close to him before. Her heart pounded with excitement, but his kept a slow rhythm against her head. Modryn was clearly taken aback, but still held her close.

“I’m sorry…” she continued, voice deadpan. “Please don’t be mad at -hic- at me… I’m so sorry…”

“Is that what this is about?” the Dunmer asked softly. “He’s okay, there’s nothing to apologise for.”

His gaze dropped to the floor. He realised it now. He’d caused this. “I’m sorry I shouted. I shouldn’t have. I panicked. Never again, Evie.”

Evie looked up into those crimson eyes - so unsettling to many, yet so comforting to her. She was mesmerised by the way they seemed to glow in the flickering magelight. He was so handsome. There was a masculine strength in his features, uncommon next to the angelic beauty that most elves possessed, and it suited him. Oh, Nine, she wanted him.

As she spoke, barely a whisper, Evie’s voice trembled with the anticipation of what she was about to do. “Might not be so lucky next time… I still let you down. Let me… let me make it up to you…”

She was vaguely aware of the pounding between her thighs. One hand brushed up Modryn’s deep chest to rest on his strong jaw, and Evie lifted her head to kiss him. She missed his mouth, lips instead grazing the stubble on his chin. Somehow she didn’t really care she’d missed. The fingers of her other hand ran through his mohawk - it was a rare sight to see his hair brushed out like this, like a mane as black as ebony, under her touch just as soft as she’d always imagined.

The elf smirked. He couldn’t wait to see Evie’s face when he reminded her of this in the morning. The hand that now rested on the back of his neck, he took in his own. “I didn’t realise you’d had _that_ much… come on, let’s get you home.”

He tried to haul the girl up, but she wasn’t going anywhere. She gazed at him, pupils huge yet eyes still unfocused. “No… not yet. I want you Modryn…” She tried again, this time hitting the mark and pressing her plush lips to his.

The initial surprise over, Oreyn actually felt vaguely flattered for a moment, and he damn near fell into the kiss. He was just a man, after all - and even when smashed out of her mind and reeking of cheap wine, dirt and minotaurs, Evie was beautiful. It would be lying to say his body didn’t respond to her, but still, he broke away quickly. “No, you don’t,” he said flatly. “You’re drunk.”

“No… I’m not…” Evie began. “Well… I mean, maybe… but I… _know what I want_. Thought about this for _so long_ …”

She commanded his gaze, her still-shaking voice as serious as could be. “When I’m… when I’m with other men I close my eyes and pretend I’m with you. So don’t…”

She pulled at the buckles of her armour, stripping from her cuirass with surprising speed before Modryn could protest. A part of her already knew she’d regret telling him that, but if he believed her words and actions were fuelled only by the wine, then he _had_ to know. She gazed at him with the most inviting eyes she could manage. “So don’t tell me this isn’t how I feel… _Master_ …”

His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed hard. Evie smiled, curious.

“Oh… you like it when I call you that? _Dirty boy_ …”

The elf didn’t respond. Her body commanded all of his attention. She was small and lithe for the most part, the job had refined her in her own way. His gaze travelled over defined curves that would've been his undoing - had she been any other woman. From their size he didn’t need to guess why her breasts were so thoroughly bound - if not she probably wouldn’t fit into her armour. His gaze had lingered too long, and Evie noticed. She read every sign wrong, took Modryn’s hand in hers, and placed it on her chest, inviting him to explore her with more than his eyes. He could feel her heart raging, fast and hard, now a perfect match to his own. Dark, callused hand grazed soft pale skin nearly as scarred as his own in places, for the briefest time, before the man came to his senses. He pulled away.

“I can’t, Evie,” he said softly. “Not with you.”

“You want it,” Evie said. Her hand trailed down his hard torso, ghosting along the trail of dark hairs below his navel, and he stiffened when her touch came to rest on the erection straining beneath his leather pants. All the air left his lungs when she gave him a gentle squeeze. “You want it _just_ as much as I do… my, the Nine certainly blessed you! Who’d have guessed you were hiding your most _impressive_ weapon in-”

“That’s enough!” Modryn hissed. His voice was stern. Yes, his body wanted everything she offered, and more, but his head was still in control. He stood quickly, flustered. “ _This ends now!_ As your superior, I order it! We _can’t_ …”

He knelt down, opened a chest and pulled out a cloak. Evie watched him fasten it with shaking hands, her face a drunken picture of both confusion and disappointment. He pulled on a pair of boots, and then stood. “ _Stay here_ ," he said, and with that, he fled the cabin, out into the cold, quiet night.

The guards paid Modryn no attention as he ran to the Guild hall. There was nobody else on the Chorrol streets to see him, not at this time of night. This was all far too much to take in, far too fast. He didn’t know what to think, or how to respond - _never_ had he entertained thoughts of bedding his second-in-command. He wasn’t in the habit of thinking that way about Imperial girls one-and-a-quarter centuries his junior, hadn’t been for a long time. It wasn’t unheard of, of course, but certainly not looked upon kindly.

He closed the door behind him, careful not to wake anyone in the process. It had all come completely out of the blue. Evie… sweet, young Evie, was it purely because she didn’t know what she was doing, or was she really acting on desires she’d had for a long time? If it truly was the latter… he’d been a fool to not see the signs before now. And yet… looking back there was nothing to see. Nothing at all. If that was how she really felt about him, she’d hidden it well.

Modryn cleared one flight of stairs and climbed into the tower as fast and as quietly as he could. In the small room, he threw off his cloak, set a forearm against the cold stone and laid his head on top. He sighed slowly. Why him? That girl could have any other man in the whole of Tamriel, and she had to choose _him_. Why not young Azzan? He was handsome, he was _much closer to her age_ , and just as successful in the Guild as Evie. And he’d been carrying a torch for her since she first entered their lives. Maybe she _had_ slept with him, somewhere along the way. And maybe she’d thought of Modryn instead.

He couldn’t. He just couldn’t. It wouldn't be without consequence. Given their social standing, people would talk, and none of it would be kind. It would hurt them. That public scrutiny would come down on her just as much as it would him, and he knew her well enough to know it would cut her particularly deep. He wouldn’t let that happen. She’d suffered enough because of him.

With his right hand Modryn reached down, unlaced his pants and pulled out his still-throbbing cock. He stiffened as he began to rub himself quickly. It had been some time since he’d even touched himself, he knew he wouldn’t take long. When he closed his eyes, his thoughts were still of her - his mind went to her and he couldn't help it, couldn't stop it. His chest rose and fell, breaths deep and laboured. The gods must've been proud when they made her body, and those beautiful eyes. As he recalled the way she'd squeezed his cock he did the same to himself. He couldn't help but imagine it was her. He recalled her eager but gentle hands all over him, and the the way she’d kissed him, as his pace became more and more urgent. He was close to the edge already. He wanted her. Of course he wanted her. How could any man _not_ want her? 

To Oblivion with other people and _what they might say_ , he thought to himself. He hammered his dick as though his life depended on it. To Oblivion with everything he'd said! He wanted her, and he would damn well have her! 

Modryn shuddered. He issued a final a ragged breath, and came against the wall. Still breathing hard and heavy, gradually he came down from his climax. And for a while he stayed where he was, leaning against the wall, hand still wrapped around his cock. Eventually his heartbeat slowed, and rational thought returned to him. Did he really mean it? Was he just caught up in the moment, or would he really endure the inevitable judgement to have her? Eventually Oreyn stood up straight, grabbed a jug of water and wet a cloth. He began to clean himself up. Of _course_ he wanted her. Now that thought had entered his mind, it would likely never leave.

He’d done the right thing tonight, he knew that much. Taking advantage of her in that state was out of the question. Pants laced, Modryn left the tower, crossed the spacious room and settled into an empty bed as though nothing had happened. Now he had to decide how to proceed from here on out. Things would never be the same again.

“...Boss?” came a groggy, deep voice from the next bed. Kurz Gro-Baroth looked up. “What are you doing here?”

Modryn sighed as he pulled the covers over himself. “Evie,” he said bitterly. He closed his eyes. “She’s completely rat-arsed. Can’t get her off my bed. She’s sleeping it off.”

None of it was a lie.

The answer seemed to satisfy Gro-Baroth. He shrugged under his own covers and quickly fell asleep again. It took Modryn longer to follow.

*

*

Evie Cenitus woke early the next morning and immediately entered a world of suffering the likes of which she’d never known before. Her eyes opened, the first thing she noticed was that her head pounded as though it would explode. She groaned in pain, or at least tried to - her throat and mouth were as dry as a bone and all that came out was a sickening rasp. The second thing she noticed was she was in Modryn’s cabin, in his bed.

She froze. Without looking, the girl reached behind her, spreading a hand along the bedsheets until it hit the wall. She was alone. Slowly, she pulled off the covers, sat up and looked around the dark cabin, and heaved. Oh, gods, she felt like death. He was nowhere to be seen. She really was alone. At first she remembered nothing.

_Why am I here? What happened last night?_

It was when Evie climbed out of bed she realised she was dressed in only her underwear. A quick search and she found her armour strewn on the floor, not too far from the bed.

_What_ happened _last night?_

And then everything came back to her at once. She’d thrown herself at Modryn. She’d kissed him, she’d told him things she swore would die with her… _Dirty boy_ … _oh, gods_ …

Evie promptly heaved again, and vomited on the floor. She spluttered, dropped to her knees and held her head in violently shaking hands. Her whole body chilled to the bone. She couldn’t think. In that moment, time itself seemed to stand still and the weight of the air squeezed her chest to breaking point. She couldn’t breathe. 

_What have I done?_


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This may be the longest chapter I've ever written for any fic. There was a lot I wanted to say.
> 
> *
> 
> "If your body matches what your eyes can do
> 
> You'd probably move right through me on my way to you"
> 
> \- _Paralyzer_ , Finger Eleven

For more than three years Evie had managed to keep her mouth shut. It hadn’t been hard at all, not really. Some days had been harder than others - the ones when she wanted nothing more than to throw her arms around her Guildmaster and kiss him like tomorrow would never come, but she had enough control to hold back. The nights she’d laid next to some other man and silently cried after the deed was done, wondering if her feelings for Modryn would _ever_ go away, they’d been hard too. And after all this time, all it took was a few bottles of wine to blow her cover entirely.

At least she could say she’d tried, Evie thought to herself as she slowly climbed the stairs to Modryn’s office. Judging by the way the room still spun, she’d guess she was still slightly drunk. Evie didn’t want to be there, but there was no other option. She couldn’t just stay away indefinitely. No matter how much she wanted to, no matter that her every instinct was telling her to turn and leave. She just couldn’t do that.

Her mouth still tasted of acid, and her stomach still churned as she stood in front of the desk. She stared fixedly at the floorboards to avoid looking her Guildmaster in the eye, but she needn’t have - Modryn seemed particularly engrossed in his paperwork, and didn’t look up once. He didn’t stop writing. Yes, she could finally say she’d tried, and now she knew for sure. But she didn’t need to have tried to know what the answer would be. She always knew he would turn her down. She shut her eyes tight, and a tear rolled down her face.

 _Say something._ Anything!

The sooner she got it out of the way, the sooner they could both forget it and move on. “I’m sorry I came onto you,” Evie croaked. Gods, her head pounded like she’d been punched by an ogre.

Modryn didn’t respond. He continued to write. Was he _that_ mad at her? Or was he embarrassed? She had no idea. She’d never made him so mad he turned entirely mute on her before.

“I’m sorry for touching you in an inappropriate manner… and kicking you out of your home, and throwing up on the floor.”

The scratch of the quill stopped abruptly.

“-Don’t worry, I cleaned it up.”

“Thank you Evie.”

Trembling a little, Evie quietly breathed a sigh of relief. At least they were still on speaking terms. Barely. The room fell silent with a tension that could kill. She couldn’t just stand there, she had to say something - do something.

 _Just offer to get on with something! Oh, gods - do I still even_ have _a job?_

“I’d imagine you’re feeling very ill given how much you drank last night,” Modryn eventually said. There was no humour in his words, none at all. Still, he seemed far too absorbed in whatever he was writing to take his eyes off it. “Take the day off.”

For once, Evie didn’t argue. She didn’t need any encouragement today - she turned on her heel and left without uttering another word. Her fellow Guild members watched her with curiosity as she descended the final flight of stairs - still clinging to the bannister for balance, and left the building. Of course they didn’t know what had happened, and they wouldn’t ever know. Still, they knew their superiors well enough to know this wasn’t like them at all. Something was very wrong, and it was only natural for them to be curious about it.

She’d ruined everything.

*

Modryn Oreyn was a frightening man sometimes, especially on a bad day. And sometimes he could be a downright bastard - probably one of the reasons the new recruits didn’t often stick around in Chorrol. He was certainly hard on Evie when she joined up. But still, no matter what he said or how bad it made her feel, she’d always come back for more. Modryn had thought it dedication to the Guild, and Evie had convinced herself of it too. Dedication to the cause, devotion to him - whatever the reason, she’d surpassed all his expectations, and actually impressed him. When he’d travelled to Leyawiin to make his final assault on the Blackwood Company, there was nobody else he wanted by his side. And in the following days, when the Guild was passed to him - he considered nobody else to run it with him. Modryn had learned over the years that Evie liked to play the idiot to surprise people. She was much smarter than she made herself out to be.

It was early evening, and the sunlight filtering in through the window was weak, but not gone entirely. Evie lay on her bed, on top of all the covers. She stared at the ceiling. Finally the alcohol was out of her system, she’d bathed, and now she didn’t feel particularly bad. Not physically anyway.

 _I could try and get a transfer to Anvil_ , Evie thought to herself. _Azzan’s always been good to me. He might even be understanding about it all. If I had to tell him._

Azzan had always had a soft spot for her - the way his face lit up whenever she arrived at his chapter, and his cute nervous energy when she spoke to him, they were unmistakeable. He was handsome, and she had no doubt he’d make a wonderful partner - just the kind of man she needed - but Evie had kept her distance from all the men of the Guild - just in case she was eventually successful with Modryn.

A knock at the door nearly made her jump. The girl stiffened. She didn’t want to see anyone today - out of fear more than anything else. Fear that people might start asking questions. What would she say? Slowly, reluctantly, Evie rolled off the bed, descended the stairs, and opened the door. After peeking around it she breathed a sigh of relief - young Gorz Gro-Kurg stood to attention.

“Hey, you,” she said quietly. “Are you okay? What can I do for you? Come in.”

“No need, boss,” Gorz said. “Quick stop and then I’m off to Bravil. I got a message for you. Boss needs you to go to the Imperial City, talk to a bunch of mercenaries come over from Skyrim. Here, he wrote it all down…”

The mer fished out a small note and passed it to Evie.

“Gideon War-Cry, I think he said,” Gro-Kurg continued. “He also said… you can avoid the Arena, whatever that means. He said he’d do it himself, but he’s got business in Skingrad over the next couple days.”

Evie scanned the note quickly, feeling a sense of relief wash over her like a hot spring - Modryn wanted her to enter talks with a small group of Nord mercenaries looking to join the Fighters’ Guild. It would be her task to figure out the most appropriate chapter to house them. If Modryn was still giving her jobs like this, then _at least_ she still had a job in the Guild. He’d still rather talk to her through notes and other people though. Perhaps he too would push for a transfer eventually.

“Thanks Gorz,” she said weakly. “I think I’ll head out first thing tomorrow… it’s getting late.”

“Boss is pretty mad at you still, huh?” Gorz asked. He then lowered his voice. “I didn’t get you in trouble did I?”

“Of course not!” Evie cried. She placed a hand on the man’s arm. “How could you think that? No… I did another stupid thing… best to not get involved I reckon. You’ve already seen how much damage a single mistake on my part can cause. Have fun in Bravil.”

None of it was a lie.

*

*

The sun set and the moons emerged, bathing the Imperial City in an ethereal light. And Evie entered the Tiber Septim Hotel that night completely empty-handed. Maybe it was being back in the capital city, the recalling of old memories from what might as well be another life entirely, maybe because she’d spent the whole day searching fruitlessly for Gideon War-Cry - or maybe both. All she knew was she’d never felt so down in her whole life.

She hadn’t _just_ failed to find the mercenary, or any of his men. She’d been unable to get any lead whatsoever on where they might be found. In fact, nobody she spoke to - and Evie spoke to a lot of people, even braving the Arena District on the off-chance - had even _heard_ of the man. It was like he didn’t exist at all.

Evie approached the desk in the middle of the warm, expansive room. The Imperial stood behind offered a welcoming smile. The Hotel was a familiar comfort, at least. If her job ever took her to the Imperial City, this was where she’d always liked to stay - if she could spare the extra gold. She’d leave for Chorrol in the morning, with no other option than admitting to Modryn that she couldn’t do what he’d asked. She dreaded returning to him even with good news.

Evie looked down at the note crumpled in her hand, parchment now softened from wear, ink smudged but still clear enough to make out the exact instructions the girl had followed. Maybe… Evie wondered whether Modryn had given her the wrong name by mistake. He never, ever got it wrong though. But still, she was here, looking for a man who didn’t seem to exist.

Again, she fought away tears. Moving away was in her best interest now, but she’d miss Chorrol more than she could ever imagine. She’d miss her fellow Guild members there horribly. And she’d never see Modryn again. Her best friend. The thought was damn near killing her.

The girl looked up to the blond who waited expectantly, and pulled a small bag of gold from her satchel. “May I have a room please?”

Calidia’s eyes seemed to narrow as the gold changed hands, sizing Evie up with apparent interest. Sometimes that was how people received her in this city - a feeling of vague recognition. People knew her face, but they didn’t know why - the young woman once heralded as a rising star of the Arena had been long forgotten after her sudden resignation, but people would always remember her vaguely.

“Of course ma’am,” she said eventually. She gestured over her left shoulder. “Up the stairs, first door on the right.”

Evie crossed the room without another word. She looked at the note again, distracted, still wondering. She sighed sharply, scolding herself for ruminating, and finally put the note away. There was nothing she could do tonight. She climbed the stairs, opened the door and crossed the landing. It never occurred to her that Calidia had forgotten to give her a key, so it didn’t come as a surprise when the door to her room opened without one. What did surprise her was the Dunmer sat on the edge of the bed, looking at the door as though waiting for someone to enter. When he saw Evie, he got to his feet.

A cold chill ran down Evie’s spine as she set eyes on the man she was most afraid to see. The door swung shut behind her. “Modryn? What are you _doing_ here? I thought you were in Skingrad.”

He approached. Evie’s heart began to pound as she looked up at him nervously. “I’m sorry…” she continued. “I couldn’t find the Nords. No one in this city has even heard of them, I don’t know what to say.”

Modryn nodded once, slowly. “There _are_ no Nords,” he said. “I just needed to lure you here. Talk somewhere we wouldn’t be seen or heard. By anyone who knows us.”

“Oh.”

He swallowed. He kept his distance. “Is it true?”

“Is- is what true?”

For a moment the same exasperation played on his face that Evie hadn’t seen directed at her since she first joined the Guild. “Don’t play the idiot, please, not with me. You know what I’m talking about. Is what you said true? That you have feelings for me? That you think of me when you…”

He trailed off, unable to finish the sentence. The girl exhaled slowly, the trembling of her body making the breath ragged.

“ _Is it true?_ ” His eyes flashed threateningly.

Evie’s mouth was dry. “…Yes.”

The elf’s head bowed for a second time, almost knowingly. “How long, Evie? How long has this been going on?”

“...The whole time.”

“ _The whole time…_ ” Modryn repeated her answer to himself on a sigh, averting his gaze. He shook his head slowly.

“Did you come here just to humiliate me further?” Evie asked, finding the strength in herself to defend the last shred of dignity she had left. It wasn’t fair of him to come all this way, make _her_ travel all this way, just to dig up what she wanted so desperately to bury. “I’d hope we were still on good enough terms that that wouldn’t be the case. _Please_ , forget I said anything. I just want to forget any of this happened. I just want things to go back to how they were.”

“You think we can just go back to how things used to be?” Modryn asked. He wasn’t angry. No… he seemed resigned. “No, we can’t. _I_ can’t. I can never look at you the same way again. With that in mind, I need to figure out where we go from here.”

Evie stared down at the floorboards, and braced herself for the judgement. Her eyes brimmed with unshed tears. This was it - he would fire her right now. She’d fucked things up worse than ever before. She hadn’t just ruined the best friendship she’d ever had, she’d lost her job too.

“Please don’t cry. Look at me.”

She couldn’t bring herself to. Her eyes shut tight. Maybe she could still beg for a transfer.

“...Evie?”

Something in the way he’d said her name roused her. Something unfamiliar coming from him. Something particularly gentle, and inviting. But she still didn’t look up until she felt the rough hand brush against her jaw, and the thumb stroke her cheek. And when she did, those red eyes were fixed on her, gazing at her with a want she'd never seen before, not in him.

She didn’t want to believe it. And she still couldn’t believe it when he tilted her head up and kissed her.

If her heart hadn’t been hammering in her chest before, now it was set to explode. Evie wrapped her arms around Modryn’s neck, stood on tiptoes, pulling herself in close, and the elf grabbed her by the waist as his tongue explored her mouth, hips meeting hips with the clang of metal on metal. Not close enough for her liking.

“I- I think we might… need to lose some clothes,” Evie said. Her voice shook dangerously. Still she refused to believe what was happening.

Modryn grinned. He gazed down at the Imperial hungrily. “All in good time.”

He claimed her mouth again, deeply, tongues meeting with a fierce hunger. It was such a far cry from the first time two nights ago. She collided suddenly with the door behind as he backed her into it with his own body. Evie moaned quietly into his mouth. She didn’t know what could possibly have changed since the other night, but she didn’t care. Rational thought was beyond her when the Dunmer pulled her close, and ran his fingers through her hair the way he did.

He wasted no time in pulling off her armour, and she tugged urgently at the buckles on his, breaking away to focus on the task. Now she held back nothing, no longer pretending she didn’t want him, it surprised Modryn to see her like this. So needy. He thought it cute in a way, and even though he could enjoy the sight of her scrambling to undress him for longer, he still helped her take off everything they wore.

Now they stood there in only their underwear, he grabbed her waist again, and when he ground his hips forcefully into hers, pressing her against the door again, he growled, and her breath came as an excited sigh. She could already feel him hard and throbbing against her hip. This was actually happening.

Now sober, Evie could truly take in how perfect Modryn really was. Callused, trembling hands explored dark flesh, broad shoulders, a powerful chest and a raging heartbeat, and she felt his own hands slide up her waist, slowly, curiously, seeming to savour every inch of her he touched. The feeling of his skin on hers was electric, her cunt pounded harder than ever in response to his touch. He loosened the bindings covering her breasts and they fell away. Evie couldn’t help but smile to herself when his gaze dropped and his eyes widened.

“See something you like?” she said with the same mockery as ever.

Oreyn said nothing. He caressed her breasts carefully at first, as though they were made of glass. Evie sighed when he squeezed gently and cried out openly when his thumbs passed over her hardening nipples, again and again, massaging until she whimpered with need. He swallowed up her cries with his own mouth, still teasing without any signs of stopping.

“ _Please…_ ” Evie sighed. “ _Modryn, please…_ ”

He broke the kiss reluctantly, slowly, and gazed at the girl through half-lidded eyes. His pupils were huge. He supposed he had been keeping her waiting for three years - if unwittingly. It wouldn’t be fair to knowingly make her wait any longer. He reached around the back of his neck and took Evie’s hand in his, ushering her away from the wall and onto the bed. She obliged immediately - settling on top of the covers, and waited expectantly.

Evie really was a picture, Modryn thought to himself as he climbed on top and settled between parted thighs. He stroked her cheek again as he ground against her sex. He’d have to paint her some day - if she let him. Toned muscle and defined curves from a whole life raised by the blade. Lying down like that, that long raven hair settled around her like it could drown her. There was so much of it. And still, the way she beamed up at him was what intoxicated him the most.

He kissed her again, just for a second before trailing down her neck and across her breast with his fingers, skin barely meeting skin. He lowered his head and placed his lips lovingly on the generous mound of one breast. Descending a little further, he took a hardened nipple in his mouth and began to suck, deeply, hungrily. Evie moaned again, louder this time, and her chest heaved under him. He didn’t take his eyes off hers, still licking, sucking. As he massaged her other breast her own hands came up to his head, fingers scratching against shaved hairs as they did, running through his mohawk, separating and bending stiff strands with little remorse and hugging him closer to her own body.

Modryn tore his gaze from hers, and broke away. He planted quick kisses on her stomach, each one lower than the next. His lips hovered for a moment over three long scars under her navel, they looked as though something had clawed at her. She’d returned from Oblivion with those. He kissed her for a little longer there, and continued his downward path. When Evie realised what he was doing, she began to sit up.

“No, it’s okay,” she said quietly. “You don’t have to do that, I’m not really a big fan…”

The Dunmer’s eyes flicked back up to hers. “Evie… trust me,” he said before he pulled off her underwear and placed a light kiss on her smooth sex. She watched Modryn for a short while as he placed his hands on her thighs, and began to lick her expertly in all the right places. He slipped a finger inside and quickly found that spot that had Evie shuddering, and sucked lightly at her sensitive clit. Clearly he had a talent he’d kept quiet about, the girl thought as he added another finger, applied more pressure, skilled tongue still working her from the outside. It wasn't his mouth she wanted though.

“Please, _Master_ ,” she said, emphasising the latter word with care.

Again Modryn growled. The animalistic rumble washed over her clit before he came back up to kneel over the girl. Evie smirked, to herself more than anything - she had no idea just how much using his title worked him up. She’d never have guessed it. When he removed his own underwear the smile vanished and her mouth fell open. She’d been right in her initial assessment - his dick really was huge. Almost dauntingly so. Evie gawked at the thick organ stood proudly to attention, curved upwards slightly, head wet with precum.

She felt her Guildmaster’s hand on her shoulder, gently easing her back down onto the pillows. Modryn kissed her again, hungrily, sucked lightly at her neck, his manhood rubbing against her thigh as he shifted his weight onto his forearms and settled between her thighs, and then a frightening thought came to Evie, one that she didn’t give voice to - would things _ever_ be the same after this? She’d wanted this for so long, but her friendship with Modryn was worth more than anything in the world. How much were they about to sacrifice?

She could feel only Modryn’s hot breath on her neck now. His heavy body pressed delightfully against hers, she’d never felt so close to him before. “Are you sure about this?” he whispered. He held her gaze with concern written on his features.

The girl smiled warmly. Despite his obvious need resting stone hard against her folds, he was still giving her the chance to drop everything. He was a true friend. She made the decision quickly - things had gone too far now to go back to how they were, even if they were to stop now. She put her arms around him, hands resting somewhere on his expansive back. “I’ve never been more sure about anything.”

He didn’t need further encouragement, it would seem. The head of his cock pressed against Evie’s pussy, hot and wet, and neither looked the other in the eye as he pushed in slowly. Evie groaned in delight as Modryn eased in to the hilt in several experimental thrusts. It was a tight fit, but she took him well. His strong shoulders rose and fell deeply with every ragged, laboured breath he took. It had been far too long, so many years… and Evie was so wet and warm around him... if it wasn’t for the special potion he’d acquired earlier, he knew he’d have spilled at that moment.

“By Azura, you’re _tight_ …” he gasped.

That wide smirk broke over the girl’s face again, and she held onto him tighter. “Maybe you’re just really… really big,” she suggested.

Finally their eyes met, and they both grinned. A quick giggle burst from Evie's chest. _Maybe things haven’t changed after all_ , she thought to herself. She shifted a little to better accommodate Modryn’s cock, squirming a little to appreciate how he felt inside of her. He filled her up like a dream, but she just needed him to start moving.

It didn’t take long for him to oblige, and she didn’t need to say a thing. He rolled his hips expertly into hers in slow, measured strokes, and suddenly it occurred to Evie that Modryn must be more experienced than any partner she’d ever had - several times over - and it certainly showed. Never did he take his eyes off her, and never did she look away. Evie gasped when he struck her G-spot at the perfect angle, Modryn grinned wickedly, repeated the same movement over and over until Evie whimpered in delight. He buried his face in the crook of the girl’s neck to stifle a low moan of his own, his pace faster now. Those noises he pulled out of her, they drove him wild. It took more control than he thought was in him to keep a gentle pace.

Evie angled her head up and took Modryn’s ear between her teeth. He stiffened a little under her touch, but didn’t let up. She bit gently, and moaned in longing. She’d wanted to do this every single day since she met her Guildmaster. Despite her preferences, she’d never actually been with an elf before. She ran her tongue up the long edge, up to the pointed tip where she resumed chewing lightly. One hand left his muscular back to stroke the other - fingers and thumb caressed the edge, faltering when she discovered it to be torn considerably in one place as though ripped some time ago. _How_ had she never noticed this before?

Against her neck, she could feel Modryn smile. “You _really_ like my ears…” he breathed.

“ _Mmhm_ …” was all Evie could get out with a mouth still occupied by his ear, not ready to let go just yet.

Her attentions only worked him up more. Evie was mesmerised by the rise and fall of his hips and ass - faster but still measured and controlled, intoxicated by the hot breath that washed steadily over the flesh of her neck, and the way he held her, yet she could tell something wasn’t right. She knew Modryn far too well.

“You’re holding back,” she said quietly.

He ignored her, continuing to fuck with the same restraint as before - he didn't know how much longer he could stay restrained... but she'd suffered enough because of him. The elf couldn't hold back a low groan of longing.

“Take me how you need to take me,” she urged.

“I won’t be gentle…” he breathed. “I don’t want to hurt you…”

Something in Evie’s core fluttered with anticipation. “I can take it,” she said. “Really, trust me… I want it.”

Finally, Oreyn surfaced to look her in the eye, and his hips halted. He offered her a flippant look that told her to never say he didn’t warn her, before taking the Imperial’s jaw in his right hand, jerking her head up at an extreme angle and kissing her deeply, agonisingly slowly, for what must’ve been a full minute. She felt his cock throb deep inside of her.

Then he started to rut into her fiercely. Evie cried out in surprise at first - she’d never been fucked quite like _this_ before, but after the initial shock wore off… oh, Gods, it felt incredible. _He_ was incredible. His face was a picture of fierce agony as he held her and pounded into her hard. Urgently. Modryn fumbled for Evie's arm around his neck, pulled her hand down to the covers and held it tight, but Evie barely registered it. She only wailed as each thrust brought her closer and closer to the edge. Her breaths came fast and heavy, and she knew she wouldn’t last much longer, and given how the Dunmer on top of her trembled and grunted, she knew he wouldn’t either.

Modryn pulled out abruptly. So close, Evie didn’t want him to stop, but she didn’t have time to ask what was going on before he got to his knees and pulled her hips and ass upwards. Then he buried his generous length in with one desperate thrust, and resumed the same frantic pace as before. His teeth bared as he gripped the girl’s hips hard enough to bruise and fucked her like there was no tomorrow.

“Oh gods…” Evie whimpered. She gripped the bedsheets tight, chest rising and falling rapidly. This was it, she wouldn’t hold out any longer. “Oh Nine… oh Modryn, I’m gonna…”

Evie thrashed under her lover’s grip, gasping for air. With as much focus as his frenzied state would allow, he watched her as he continued his brutal assault, she was the only thing that existed in that moment as she twitched and screamed mindlessly, over and over as her orgasm tore her apart. Sweet, young Evie. _His_ Evie. Never could he have possibly imagined seeing her like this. Least of all because of him.

" _Evie..._ " he moaned.

He was about to explode. Modryn released some guttural noise without knowing it. He willed himself to hold out for longer, wanted nothing more than to listen to Evie scream for him a little longer but the way her cunt spasmed around him, massaging his dick, allowing him in deeper than he ever thought possible… she finally coaxed him over the edge with her. He roared as he came. Fingernails dug deep into soft flesh, and he emptied inside of her. His hips slowed gradually, eventually halting, and he started to come back to his senses. His chest still rose and fell dramatically as he looked back down at his second-in-command to see her bathing in the afterglow. She gazed up at him adoringly.

For a moment the only sound in the room was their heavy breathing. “...I didn’t hurt you, did I?” Modryn asked tentatively.

Evie smiled, running a hand through her thick hair. She shook her head slowly. “No… it was perfect. _Amazing_. I wouldn’t have had it any other way.”

Suddenly Modryn was aware his nails were still buried in the girl’s ass. As carefully as possible, he eased them out before sliding his hands up the curve of her waist, along her back. He dropped back onto his forearms and caressed her cheek as he kissed her again, more gently this time. Inside of her, she could feel his cock softening.

He broke away. “I’m glad you finally told me,” he said. “If _that_ could come of it. No matter the circumstances.”

Evie’s dark eyebrows raised. “I’m surprised. You said I was insufferable,” she reminded him.

“That you may be…” Modryn replied mockingly. “But perhaps I like to suffer you. I certainly enjoyed suffering you tonight. It was incredible…”

She grinned. “I think I messed up your hair though, I’m sorry.”

“Collateral damage.”

Finally he pulled out, and his warm release leaked steadily from between Evie's thighs, pooling on the covers beneath her. When she didn't move, he made to get up.

“Where are you going?” Evie asked. “Stay here with me.”

“I’m not going anywhere, I thought you might want something to clean up with.”

The Imperial’s smile widened further. “Not right now. I like how it feels.”

Modryn grinned wryly. “ _Dirty girl_.”

“You won’t ever let me live that down, will you?”

Nothing would ever change between them. She knew that now, and as Evie pulled her Guildmaster back down to lie next to her, she smiled to herself. Of course, there would only ever have been one way to find out for sure, but she really had worried for so long over nothing. Everything was exactly as she’d hoped it would be.

Modryn pulled her body in closer to his and kissed Evie on the cheek as he wrapped strong arms around her small form. They stayed like that for a while, not bothering to get under the covers. It was a warm night anyway.

“It’s been more than three years and I’m still learning new things about you,” Evie whispered.

He only hummed quietly in response, face buried in her hair.

“I never imagined you being a cuddler, for one.”

For a while they fell silent, enjoying the feeling of being so close to one another. Evie tuned into Modryn’s slow heartbeat against her back, and his gentle breath against her ear.

“People will talk,” Modryn eventually said. He didn’t move. “You know that. Are you ready for it?”

“No one has to know,” she replied. “Not for a while… anyway. Let them talk. I have nothing to be ashamed of.”

“Evie… the entire city must’ve heard you screaming for me. You can’t tell me you have _nothing_ to be ashamed of.”

Evie laughed. “Oh, shut up, smart-ass.”

She was right. Nothing had changed.

Eventually, the two settled under the covers and slept, peacefully, an unspoken agreement between them that they wouldn’t think about the scrutiny that was to come, just for tonight. Tonight they’d pretend it was only the two of them, and there was nobody else in the world to judge them for what they’d done. They’d be ready for it when the time came.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So for a story I thought not a single person would even want to read, I've gotten some amazing feedback on this. It makes me feel pretty happy I was able to bring in some love for a more obscure character \o/

Evie picked up the bread and butter on the plate in front of her, and began to eat slowly. She didn’t feel much like eating - being sat in the same place only made her feel more tired. She needed to be outside doing something. Keeping distracted was the only way she’d stay awake today. After breakfast she’d talk to Modryn and see if there was a contract she could take on nearby.

A series of very late nights and very early mornings was making her tired - she’d woken at the crack of dawn to sneak out of Modryn’s cabin unnoticed by anyone. They’d been taking it in turns to sneak out of each other’s home, and this morning was hers. But it was worth being tired. Worth it for the way Modryn had bent her over his bed and fucked her like an animal. For the way he’d stuffed the bed linen in her mouth and ordered her to bite down when she came, so nobody would hear her screaming. For the way the flesh of her shoulder had served to stifle the elf’s own cries of abandon. It was worth it for the way she’d fallen asleep in his arms, once again - if only for a few hours.

The sound of wood scraping on wood alerted Evie to the fact that the Guardian of their chapter had joined her at the dining table. Her head snapped up sharply, and with her mouth full she only nodded and smiled at the Redguard sat opposite, and offered a hum of greeting. Lisa sized the Imperial up intently for a few seconds.

“Rough night?” she asked.

“Mmh?”

“You look terrible, Evie,” Lisa said. She started on her own breakfast. “No offence. What’s up?”

Evie took time to swallow her food so she could make an excuse. “None taken. It’s just been busy here,” she said. “You know how it is… it’ll all blow over soon and I can get some proper sleep.”

Lisa shrugged, and the two continued to eat in silence until they heard the fall of heavy boots on the staircase. The two women looked up to see their Guildmaster descend the stairs.

“Good morning ladies,” Modryn said brightly as he passed.

“Good morning, Master,” Lisa said politely.

Evie felt a pang of possessive jealousy at the Guardian using his title. Of course, Evie was the one who knew what it did to him - Lisa had no way of knowing. Strange though, Evie remarked to herself. She _never_ got jealous. She offered a nod in greeting before Modryn opened the door and disappeared into the Chorrol morning.

Lisa stared intently after him, brown eyes fixed on the closed door. She frowned curiously.

“Lisa, what’s wrong?” Evie asked.

The Redguard brushed her bangs off her face. “I just can’t help but think… Modryn’s been acting different lately.”

“In what way?”

“You know, since he made that trip to Skingrad a few weeks ago? Surely you’ve noticed he’s been… well… less of a bastard since then.”

“I don’t know… he hasn’t been a bastard to me for years, I guess I’m not the right person to judge that.”

“I’m not the only one who’s noticed,” Lisa continued. “Something’s changed since Skingrad, everyone says so. He’s definitely been a lot calmer over the last few weeks. It’s like… like the edge has been taken off or something. I wonder what happened there…”

Then her huge eyes widened further. “Gods - Evie… you don’t think he’s taken a _lover_ , do you?”

The Imperial could feel her face burn. She stiffened without realising it. “It’s possible,” Evie said, shrugging. She stuffed the last of the bread in her mouth and willed herself to act natural. Lisa had no reason to suspect _her_ , not right now.

“So he hasn’t said _anything_ to you?” Lisa asked.

The Champion gave a small sigh of relief, one that Lisa never noticed. “He hasn’t… he hasn’t talked about a lover. Should he have?”

“You and him are best friends, if he was going to talk about it with anyone, it would be you. I’d have thought for _sure_ … given how much time you spend together, surely you’d have noticed _something?_ People say they’ve seen him sneaking out at all times of the night… you haven’t seen…?”

“Maybe I just haven’t been looking,” Evie said eventually. She grinned. “Tell you what - if I find out anything, you’ll be the first to know.”

 _That should throw her off for a while_ , Evie thought to herself.

Lisa returned the younger woman’s grin. “He’s seeing someone, I’d bet even my special amulet on it,” she said. Her hand grasped lightly at the dull gold around her neck, hidden under the heavy armour. “And I’m gonna find out for sure… we both will. Oh, I _hope_ he is. He deserves to find someone - he’s a good guy underneath it all. Maybe I’ll follow him next time he sneaks out… see where he’s going.”

As the Imperial stood, she made a mental note to tell Modryn that. Get him to lie low for a while. It would be frustrating, but they’d find the time to be together somehow. Maybe she would encourage him to be more of a bastard, too - clearly he had a reputation to uphold. Anything they could do to throw off suspicion. She climbed the stairs into the office, and began rifling through the more recent pages of one of the ledgers. Surely there would be something in here she could get on with.

Or maybe they should stop sneaking out at night to be together, Evie thought. Stop hiding. People would find out eventually - it was certainly going that way already. And they certainly had no intention of stopping what they were doing. Yes, people would talk. She could hear it now - some might attribute how quickly she’d climbed the ranks of the Guild to what she was willing to do for her superiors in bed. Others might wonder why he didn’t take a lover closer to his own age.

 _What do they know_ , she thought to herself. She closed the ledger. _They know nothing. Let them talk_ , she thought, as she made her way out of the building, into the plaza. It would be harsh, there was no doubt about that, but it would all blow over eventually, and they’d get used to seeing her and Modryn together as a couple.

Let the others talk. They had nothing to be ashamed of.


End file.
